Good. I still think a well-developed Grigorenko can be a first line centre, but he is not going to learn that in Buffalo's current predicament. He needs to get stronger and a bit faster as well, so this upcoming summer should be crucial. His talent cannot be taught, and his attitude has always been great.

hey quick question... Does he still get paid his NHL salary??... I remember when Sbisa was in the same situation and he got sent back to WHL after playing 30 some odd games and I swear i heard not only they wasted a year on his contract, but I thought I also heard he still got him NHL salary. Sounds like its highly unlikely, but you never know. Is this true?

No, he won't get paid.

Some more notes:
- While the free agent status thing may be true, that would probably just a bonus. Leino is coming off IR and the Sabres had to make a move. Their 3 waiver-exempt players have been all playing too well to send down (Hodgson, Foligno and Flynn). They would have probably had to choose to waive someone.
- Grigs can now play in the AHL once the Remparts season (and playoffs) are done.

Some more notes:
- While the free agent status thing may be true, that would probably just a bonus. Leino is coming off IR and the Sabres had to make a move. Their 3 waiver-exempt players have been all playing too well to send down (Hodgson, Foligno and Flynn). They would have probably had to choose to waive someone.
- Grigs can now play in the AHL once the Remparts season (and playoffs) are done.

Are you 100% sure he can play in the AHL playoffs? I thought you have to be 20 years old even if your junior season is over. If so, that's great though. I hope he gets some AHL games in.

IMO this was due to an obvious lack of confidence not skating ability. He clearly felt lost and unsure. It wasnt a case of seeing him make a decision to get to a spot on the ice and then labor to get there. It was more a case of seeing him gliding / floating in an area unsure of where to go or what to do. Letting the play happen around him or come to him, rather then being aggressive and confident. IMO.

After playing in his 6th game, Grigorenko and the Sabres did use up a year of his ELC, however because he played in less than 23 games (He played in 22), he did not "accrue a season." So again, even though playing more than 5 games would burn the first year of Grigorenko's entry level contract, it would not immediately register 2013 as an "accrued year of service" for him when figuring out UFA eligibility. In the short season, an NHL player must be dressed for 23 games for it to count as an accrued year. What this means since he played less than 23 games this season, Grigorenko will still need 7 years of service before being eligible for unrestricted free agency.

So ya, we kinda screwed up this year with him. But I choose to see the positive side of this as:

A) We save a year of his free agency status.
B) While he didn't play as much as we all hoped or with players we would've liked, he did get some experience being a NHLer.
C) Hopefully this will light a fire under him and we see him control the Q. It's playoff time for them so Grigo will be thrown into the fire.

I believe this to be true, I remember the 41 game cut off in full seasons coming up before. While the ELC year hurts he still needs seven more years before a UFA.

Are you 100% sure he can play in the AHL playoffs? I thought you have to be 20 years old even if your junior season is over. If so, that's great though. I hope he gets some AHL games in.

Teenagers play in the AHL every year after their junior seasons are over every year. Alex Khokhlachev is joining Providence next week (Windsor is missing the playoffs) and you'll see a bunch of '94s and '93s go to the AHL as their CHL teams are eliminated.

He wasn't ready for the NHL, it's as simple as that, yes he could've had more talented players to play with, but you can see him play tentatively and without confidence. Going back to the Q will help him regain his confidence and hopefully he keeps working hard.

He was ruined by the CHL. Too bad. If he had stayed in Russia he would be an impact player already. He was so talented when he was 16. It is sad but not surprising to see him regressing this way.

Why, oh why, did he go the CHL? The kid ruined his own career.

HA. Are you kidding me? It helped him more than anything, he came into his own in the CHL. Good luck trying to justify differently. It's not like he was worse against his CHL opposition than he was against his Russian opposition.

After playing in his 6th game, Grigorenko and the Sabres did use up a year of his ELC, however because he played in less than 23 games (He played in 22), he did not "accrue a season." So again, even though playing more than 5 games would burn the first year of Grigorenko's entry level contract, it would not immediately register 2013 as an "accrued year of service" for him when figuring out UFA eligibility. In the short season, an NHL player must be dressed for 23 games for it to count as an accrued year. What this means since he played less than 23 games this season, Grigorenko will still need 7 years of service before being eligible for unrestricted free agency.

So ya, we kinda screwed up this year with him. But I choose to see the positive side of this as:

A) We save a year of his free agency status.
B) While he didn't play as much as we all hoped or with players we would've liked, he did get some experience being a NHLer.
C) Hopefully this will light a fire under him and we see him control the Q. It's playoff time for them so Grigo will be thrown into the fire.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruinsfan46

I believe this to be true, I remember the 41 game cut off in full seasons coming up before. While the ELC year hurts he still needs seven more years before a UFA.

No need to rush him... Someone was right in saying he wasn't intense enough. Even with the high end skill, you still need to battle. I think he didn't adjust from junior yet where he seemed to "float" often... He will learn this soon enough.. In my perfect world he will go back to juniors this year, be reassigned to KHL for 2 years then come back a different man. I just hope he is not destined for the AHL.

No need to rush him... Someone was right in saying he wasn't intense enough. Even with the high end skill, you still need to battle. I think he didn't adjust from junior yet where he seemed to "float" often... He will learn this soon enough.. In my perfect world he will go back to juniors this year, be reassigned to KHL for 2 years then come back a different man. I just hope he is not destined for the AHL.